title: Concomitant interferon-alpha and chemotherapy in hepatitis C and colorectal cancer: a case report.
abstract: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is one of the main causes of liver disease worldwide. Patients undergoing surgery are at risk of acquiring acute HCV infection and those undergoing surgical eradication of a neoplasia may be indicated for adjuvant treatment. Therefore, unlike chronic infection, these patients may simultaneously need antiviral therapy with interferon for acute hepatitis C and cytotoxic chemotherapy. To date, no data are available regarding the efficacy and tolerability of concomitant interferon treatment and antineoplastic chemotherapy in the setting of acute hepatitis C treatment. Here, we report the case of a 60-year-old man who developed acute hepatitis C after left hemicolectomy for an adenocarcinoma. He received concomitant antiviral treatment with interferon-α and adjuvant chemotherapy with capecitabine and oxaliplatin. Both treatments were well-tolerated and the patient completed the scheduled therapies. HCV infection was eradicated and the patient is free of neoplastic disease two years and 6 months after surgery.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, Section of Infectious Diseases, University of Naples Federico II, Via S. Pansini 5, I-80131 Naples, Italy. ivan.gentile@unina.it
authors.forename: Ivan
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Gentile
authors.forename: Alfonso
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: De Stefano
authors.forename: Giusy
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Di Flumeri
authors.forename: Antonio Riccardo
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Buonomo
authors.forename: Chiara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Carlomagno
authors.forename: Filomena
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Morisco
authors.forename: Sabino
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: De Placido
authors.forename: Guglielmo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Borgia
mesh_terms: D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D016898:Interferon-alpha
keywords: Acute hepatitis C; HCV; IFN-α; adjuvant chemotherapy; colorectal cancer